Instructional Policies and Operational Responsibil

III. INSTRUCTIONAL POLICIES AND OPERATIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative Withdrawals and Reinstatements

As stated in the current General Catalog, you should initiate an
administrative withdrawal when, in your opinion, a student has
missed so many classes he/she will not meet minimum course
objectives. The student will receive an “X” or
“F” on his/her transcript instead of a
“W.”

A student may be reinstated, with the approval of the
appropriate instructor, into a class from which he has been
administratively withdrawn. A student must initiate a request
for reinstatement within seven (7) days of the official date of
drop by personally contacting the instructor involved.

If you have any questions regarding the Administrative
Withdrawal/Reinstatement policy, please contact the Dean of
Admissions and Records, Registrar, or Associate Registrar.

Advisement System

Each student at South Plains College is assigned a full-time
faculty member as an advisor. The advisor is a faculty member
in the program area in which the student is majoring.
However, during any given semester, a student may take (a) class
(es) taught only by part-time instructors. In order to
provide better service to the student, it is important that these
faculty members have a good understanding of the College and the
resources available for a student in need.

Attendance Policy

Whenever absences become excessive and, in the
instructor’s opinion, minimum course objectives cannot be met
due to absences, the student should be withdrawn from the
course.

Students are officially enrolled in all courses for which they
pay tuition and fees at the time of registration. Should a
student, for any reason, delay in reporting to a class after
official enrollment, absences will be attributed to the student
from the first meeting of the class.

A student who does not attend a class and does not officially
withdraw from that course by the 12th class day in a regular
semester or by the 4th class day in a summer session should be
administratively withdrawn from that course and receive a grade of
“X” or “F” as determined by the
instructor. Instructors are responsible for clearly stating
their administrative drop policy in the course syllabus, and it is
the student’s responsibility to be aware of that
policy.

Discipline

In the event that you experience a problem with a student
disrupting class or the educational process, document the incident
in a memo format and submit it to the appropriate Departmental
Chairperson. If the problem continues, notify the Associate
Dean of Student Services or the Dean of Students. A specific
course of action is detailed in the Student Handbook. If,
during class, the student is uncontrollable, immediately send for
an administrator.

Dismissal of Classes

Faculty is expected to meet classes for the total allotted
time. “Walks” are not considered a part of the
educational program at South Plains College. If you have an
off-campus event planned, please notify your Departmental
Chairperson, in case of an emergency.

Faculty Absences

It is thought to be in the best interest of the students, the
department, and the faculty that the classes of absent instructors
be taught by members of the department if at all possible.
The instructor who needs to be absent from class for personal or
professional reasons should follow the procedure detailed
below:

Notify the Departmental Chairperson of an upcoming absence as
far in advance as possible so that an in-house substitute can be
arranged.

If the absence is due to an emergency, first notify the
Departmental Chairperson. If the Departmental Chairperson is
unavailable, notify the appropriate Instructional Dean. In
the event that a substitute cannot be located, the class will be
notified of the emergency. Please be sure to personally talk
with the departmental chairperson, do not just leave a voice mail
message.

When a substitute is needed and an in-house substitute is not
available, the instructor may arrange for a qualified individual
outside the college to cover the class. Compensation for the
substitute is the responsibility of the instructor, not South
Plains College.

Full pay is deducted from a faculty member’s salary for
unauthorized absences and such absences will result in
dismissal.

Final Examinations

A final examination is required in all regularly scheduled
courses. The type of exam is up to the individual
instructor’s discretion. The College does not prohibit
the final examination to be given over only the material covered
since the last major exam. However, most professional
educators have found a comprehensive final examination to be the
most effective learning tool.

The final exam in any class is usually administered during the
last class meeting before final grades are due. A memo as to
the date of final exams and the date and time final grades are
due will be issued. PLEASE ADHERE TO THIS MEMO.
(Refer to the final examination schedule for testing dates.)

All final examinations will be given according to the semester
schedule and will be held in the regularly assigned
classrooms. Always verify the final examination schedule with
the current semester Schedule of Classes publication.

Final exams for evening classes will be held during regularly
scheduled class beginning on Monday of the designated week of
finals. Finals for Saturday classes will be held on the
Saturday prior to the week of finals. Conflicts in test
schedules should be worked out with the individual instructors.

All library books are due on Friday before the first day of
finals week.

Final Grade Rolls

At the end of the semester, you will turn in a signed grade
report which will be your Final Grade Roll printed from the Campus
Connect system. Grade book sheets are to be turned in at the
same time.

All grades are required to be submitted electronically through
the Campus Connect system on all students before grade reports will
be executed. A single instructor who does not submit their
grades electronically will delay the reports for all students on
all campuses. Please help prevent this problem for the
Admissions and Records office.

Directions for submitting grades electronically through the
Campus Connect system are as follows:

Open Internet Explorer (Netscape will not work correctly for
grade submission).

Log in with your user name and password. (If you do not
have a password, please contact Olga Lozano at ext. 2601.)

Select Grade Entry.

Select the term and click the submit tab. (Do not enter
anything in the COURSE CODE field.)

Select the course and click on the submit tab.

Enter grades for all students in that course.

Mark the course “YES” Final Grade Posting to
indicate these are the final grades for this course.

Click on the PRINT button and print a copy of the
grades.

Select the SUBMIT button. (If you forget or are unable
to print before you click on the “submit” button, you
may go to class rosters and print from there. Class rosters
will indicate grades if the grade submission has been
successful.)

Repeat the process for each of your courses.

Print and sign your name at the top of each printed page near
the course title.

Submit your grade book sheets and your printed, signed grade
reports from the Campus Connect system to the Admissions and
Records office either at the Levelland campus, Reese Center campus
or in the Dean of Technical Education’s office in Room 114 at
the Advanced Technology Center (ATC).

Grade Book Sheets

You will receive grade book sheets at the beginning of the
semester in which you must keep official recordings of grades and
attendance. At the end of each semester or summer session,
all faculty members are required to turn in their grade book sheets
for the course(s) they have completed teaching.

The grade book sheets must reflect the attendance of each
student and the method by which the final grade for each student
was determined. That method must be clearly defined so that
South Plains College could reconstruct the means by which the final
grades were determined, if required to do so in the future.

If your final grade roll(s) or grade book sheets are not
returned to the Admissions and Records department at the end of the
semester, South Plains College reserves the right to hold your
payroll check until the above mentioned items are turned in.

Grading Practices

At the beginning of the semester, faculty members should explain
to their classes the basis for evaluation that will be used in
awarding grades. This information should be a part of the
printed syllabus.

A grade is assigned for all courses in which a student is
regularly enrolled during any semester or summer session. A
grade once earned and entered upon a student’s record cannot
be removed and may not be changed without the approval of the
instructor and the Instructional Dean. If a student repeats a
course, it is with the understanding that the last grade earned is
the one to be counted toward fulfillment of degree
requirements.

Grades should reflect the extent to which students have attained
course objectives. Course objectives should be the common
knowledge of the instructors and the students.

Student grades may be interpreted as follows:

GRADE INTERPRETATION

GRADE POINTS
PER SEMESTER HOUR

A Excellent

4

B Good

3

C Average

2

D Below Average

1

F Failing

0

I Incomplete

Not Computed

P Pass

Not Computed

PR Progress

Not Computed

W Student Withdrawal

Not Computed

X Administrative Withdrawal

Not Computed

Please refer to the General Catalog for a continued explanation
of grades.

Incompletes

Occasionally a student is unable to complete the requirements of
a course even though he/she is otherwise performing
satisfactorily. In this case, a letter grade of
“I” (incomplete) can be assigned to the student.

An “incomplete grade” form must be completed
stipulating how the incomplete grade can be removed. This
form must be approved by the appropriate Instructional Dean and
turned in with the final grades. Please follow through before
the stipulated deadline and assign the student a letter
grade. A grade change form needs to be completed and turned
in to the Admissions and Records office in order to remove an
“I” from the student’s record.

Instructional and Office Hours

Faculty members are expected to meet classes for the total
allotted time as set in the Schedule of Classes. Also,
faculty are expected to be accessible to students for
consultation. Since office space cannot be provided for
associate faculty, being available for a determined amount of time
before or after class is acceptable. Please state on the
course syllabus when and where you will be available for
consultation. Students may leave messages for you by calling
the departmental chairperson in your area. Providing your
students with a home phone number or office number is encouraged
and appreciated.

Official Class Roll

On the 12th class day of the Fall and Spring semesters, and on
the fourth class day of summer sessions, the College will generate
an official class roll and grade book insert for your use during
the semester. The 12th (or fourth) day class roll must be
certified by your signature and returned to the office of
Admissions and Records by the time and date specified on the cover
memorandum. (PLEASE ADHERE TO THIS MEMO.)

The 12th and fourth day class rolls are used for state reporting
and to determine state supported funding. Therefore, it is
very important that they are certified accurately, neatly, and
returned promptly. When you turn in the official class roll,
you will be issued a computer generated grade book
insert.

If a student’s name appears on the class roll but that
student has never attended your class, please write, “HAS NOT
ATTENDED” by his/her name. In addition, an absenteeism
report needs to be filled out by the instructor and returned to the
Admissions and Records office. The student will then be
administratively withdrawn and receive a letter grade of
“X”. A letter is sent to the student informing
him/her that they have been dropped for excessive absences.

Please do not make any other notations on the official class
rolls. Please check with the Admissions and Records office if
you have any questions about your class roll or if the class roll
is otherwise inaccurate.

Pay Scale

Associate faculty salaries shall be $424.00 per semester hour
for individuals who have taught less than four semesters for South
Plains College, $450.00 per semester hour for those who have taught
four semesters or more and shall not exceed $3,600.00 in any one
semester.

Final grades and grade book inserts must be submitted to the
office of Admissions and Records before your check will be
distributed. If your check is not picked up within one week,
the College will mail it to your home address.

Deductions made are for Social Security/Medicare as mandated by
Federal Law and for taxes: Social Security is 6.2%
(FICA/OASDI) and 1.45% (Medicare) of salary and a portion of income
tax corresponding to your entries on the W-4 which is on file in
the Payroll office. The Federal Government requires that
South Plains College withhold Social Security or a Social Security
alternate annuity contribution for all part-time employees at 7.5%
and is not matched. You are given the choice of contributing
to Social Security or to Metropolitan Life Pension/Annuity
Company. It is mandatory that you sign up for one of these
two plans. If you do not make a choice, you will be required
to pay Social Security. If you are already active in the
Texas Teacher Retirement System, you are not required to have your
salary further reduced. However, you must fill out a Personal
Data Form with TRS so that you will be on South Plains College
reporting district. If no form is filled out, you will be
required to pay Social Security.

In the event that a course is canceled after the third class
meeting, you will be compensated for those three days.
Marginal enrollment classes (those with less than 15 students)
usually will be canceled before the second class meeting. You
may be asked, especially during the summer sessions, to meet the
class once or twice if the enrollment in marginal in order to allow
students to register late.

Progress Grade

The grade “PR” is administered when progress has
been made in a developmental course but not sufficient progress to
meet the exit criteria or passage of the TASP Test for that
particular skill area. The “PR” grade is used
only in developmental, non-college level courses. This grade
requires signatures from the Departmental Chairperson and the
appropriate Instructional Dean.

Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment

Harassment, including sexual harassment, is contrary to basic
standards of conduct between individuals and is prohibited by Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission and state regulations. Any
employee who engages in any of the acts or behavior defined below
violates College policy, and such misconduct will subject an
employee to corrective action up to and including immediate
discharge.

This policy applies to employees of South Plains College in
their interaction with other employees and students.
Furthermore, executive management at each College location will
establish appropriate procedures to insure that non-employees
(vendors, contractors, trades people, etc.) on College premises are
also made aware of the intent of this policy.

Employees who feel they have been discriminated against on the
basis of gender, or sexually or in any other manner harassed,
should immediately report such incidents, following the procedure
described below, without fear of reprisal. Confidentiality
will be maintained to the extent permitted by the
circumstances.

Harassment. Verbal, physical or visual conduct of a
racial, ethnic or other type, which in the employee’s opinion
impairs his or her ability to perform the job.

Sexual Harassment. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome
sexual advances or visual, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature. This definition encompasses many forms of offensive
behavior, including gender-based harassment of a person of the same
gender as the harasser, conduct of a sexual nature that creates an
offensive, intimidating or hostile work environment; and coerced
sexual conduct by a person in a position of authority in the
workplace. Examples of prohibited sexual harassment
include:

unwelcome sexual flirtation or advances.

offering employment, promotions or other benefits in exchange
for sexual favors.

Sexual or other forms of harassment of an employee or student by
any College employee, regardless of position, will not be
tolerated. Sexual harassment by a non-employee, for example,
a customer, vendor or supplier, is also prohibited.

Employee: Any employee of the College.
Student: An individual enrolled in any credit or non-credit course
at South Plains College.

Complaints of harassment of any type will be handled through the
College’s Grievance Procedure policy, which provides several
options and a specific process by which an employee or student may
initiate action on a job or instructional related
complaint.

Student Initiated Drops

All students must go to the Admissions and Records office in
person in order to drop a class. If a student is withdrawing
from school, he/she must complete the withdrawal form obtained from
the Counseling Center and return it to the Admissions and Records
office and obtain clearance from various departments. The
instructor, advisor, and Financial Aid office are notified whenever
a student drops a class.

If one of your students informs you that they have dropped your
class, never assume that student has followed proper
procedure. If you do not receive a “notice of class
drop”, please notify the Admissions and Records office
promptly.

Texas Academic Skills Program

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) Test, which was
mandated by House Bill 2182 in 1987, provides information about the
reading, mathematics, and writing skills of students entering Texas
public colleges and universities. This program has
overwhelming effects on SPC students. Part-time faculty
should familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of
TASP. Information booklets are available in the
Counselor’s area.

Temporary Class Roll

At the beginning of the semester, you will receive a
computerized temporary class roll. This is not a final roster
as late registration is still in progress and students are still
adding and dropping. If you suspect a problem with your class
roll, please notify the Admissions and Records
office.

South Plains College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,

disability or age in its programs and activities.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:Vice President for Student Affairs, South Plains College1401 College Avenue, Box 5, Levelland, TX 79336, 806-894-9611